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MetaEnder
03-19-2010, 03:08 AM
Clear Bra made by 3M.

Anybody ever heard of it? Used it? Seen it on a vehicle? I'm kind of interested, I want to get a big bra for my car for my 3000 mile drive home, but if I could do this then I definitely would!

YouTube- How to: Install Clear Bra - Video by DECALFX.COM

3M Website:
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Scotchgard_Paint_Protection/Film

DIY walk throughs from random Google found forums:
http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread/369074-write-up-how-to-apply-a-clear-bra
http://www.shiftice.com/clear_bra.html
Ty
03-19-2010, 03:31 AM
It's fairly expensive and incredibly hard to install by yourself without all the proper tools and knowing all the little tricks it takes to do it properly. It IS something I'd like to get into doing in the future.
MetaEnder
03-19-2010, 11:03 AM
I wonder if I'd be able to find like a big 4'x5' rectangle and cut it. Like you said, it's probably pretty difficult to do by yourself, but I think I could handle doing like, part of a hood, headlights, side mirrors and I can see it being worth it!
ben_cb7
03-19-2010, 11:19 AM
idk if its the same thing but we had a truck at the shop the other day with some kind of clear bra thing and it totally changed the color of the front of the truck....i didnt like it AT ALL!
gotrice93
03-19-2010, 11:53 AM
Please don't put a actual car bra on your car! I have seen many cars with paint damage underneath a bra. They defiantly aren't good on the paint.

But, I have seen a truck with the 3m clear bra, and didn't think it looked that bad, it was actually kind of hard to tell it was on there. Every time I have seen them done they have been at an accessory shop that does window tinting.
MetaEnder
03-19-2010, 01:29 PM
Please don't put a actual car bra on your car! I have seen many cars with paint damage underneath a bra. They defiantly aren't good on the paint.

But, I have seen a truck with the 3m clear bra, and didn't think it looked that bad, it was actually kind of hard to tell it was on there. Every time I have seen them done they have been at an accessory shop that does window tinting.

Really they can damage the paint? SDFKLahet;la;l I'll have to do more research, or maybe more expensive ones'll be better. Because I definitely wouldn't mind having one on my 3000 miles drive! But not if it hurts my car! That's redundant.

As for the 3M's, I wonder if because it's a layer of plastic that you can polish (and wax?) that after a while it blocks enough light that when you take it off you'll have different shades of paint! (If the bra were to stay on long enough that is)

Anyway, just a thought. Could be worth it for things like headlights/side mirrors, lip kits, etc.
gotrice93
03-19-2010, 01:42 PM
Really they can damage the paint? SDFKLahet;la;l I'll have to do more research, or maybe more expensive ones'll be better. Because I definitely wouldn't mind having one on my 3000 miles drive! But not if it hurts my car! That's redundant.


found this on a forum: Regarding Bras,
The good news is they protect your paint against bugs and small stones.
The bad news is they all regardless of manufacture and design allow for at least some flapping and the enterance of dust and fine grit which in a very quick amount of time, say a long trip, destroy your paint job with small scratches.
Solution:
3M makes a thin almost invisable film called
X-Pel, which can be installed by most of the better window film companies. Here is a link to X-Pel's site: http://www.xpel.com/products/paint.asp

The thing that is left out that I have noticed a lot is that they trap water when it gets underneath and we all know that leads to rust. If you do decide to go with a bra, take it off ever time you wash your car and don't put it on until the car is completely dry.
MetaEnder
03-19-2010, 08:00 PM
Good to know! Thanks for the info, ha. If I do just get a normal bra I'd only use it for my drive, after that, probably keep it off! :D Maybe I'll use the 3M style bra for my headlights.
Bmer89
03-19-2010, 09:57 PM
I've seen some thin film, like saran wrap with a sticky side, that you can put on your car for a long trip. You just stick it on and drive. It's not meant to look that good or blend in, since it's just going to be ripped off anyways. I saw it in a detailing magazine, I forget the name though... But it's cheap and does the job!
jon
03-19-2010, 10:50 PM
do this

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4794622
CD5Accord
03-19-2010, 10:58 PM
yeah dude $30 in painters tape and you'll be good. (: I don't think the porsche looked too bad with it either haha. I'd like to see what ur accord would look like with that,
MetaEnder
03-20-2010, 12:35 AM
do this

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4794622

Nice! Haha. When I was scrolling down I thought it was a different car at first, then looked closer!

Pretty sweet, tempting... Haha.
JetBlack
03-20-2010, 07:33 AM
Motorcyclists use it on the tank. Keeps it looking great forever and if it gets scratched or scuffed, you can replace it and it looks new again. Wish I had done it on the Mustang. Front end is all rock chipped. You can do the whole hood and front panels.
justin
03-20-2010, 12:11 PM
Ninja damn you I was going to suggest painters tape lol.

Anyways I think that would be your best bet for preventing rock chips and whatnot on your trip. Plus it'll be somewhat of a conversation starter when you stop for gas and food.
MetaEnder
03-20-2010, 12:17 PM
Ninja damn you I was going to suggest painters tape lol.

Anyways I think that would be your best bet for preventing rock chips and whatnot on your trip. Plus it'll be somewhat of a conversation starter when you stop for gas and food.

Hhaaha, definitely. Prolly get lots of "What happened to your car?"s.

Might have to do thattttt. I think I'll snap a few quick pictures of my car and throw 'em on here in a minute.
JetBlack
03-20-2010, 06:39 PM
You can pick up a few rolls of packing tape and do that too :)
CD5Accord
03-20-2010, 06:53 PM
i think packaging tape would be to sticky...might mess up the paint. painters tape is meant to come off easy and not stick too much.
JetBlack
03-20-2010, 07:06 PM
But then when you're done, it's also a clear bra!
CD5Accord
03-20-2010, 07:13 PM
lol its a 2fer...that would look sobad lol. packaging tape is clear...but it aint that clean lol...
MetaEnder
03-20-2010, 11:21 PM
lol its a 2fer...that would look sobad lol. packaging tape is clear...but it aint that clean lol...

I'd have fun getting all that sticky crap off my car for a month. Have to sick Marble on it!
gotrice93
03-20-2010, 11:23 PM
I'd have fun getting all that sticky crap off my car for a month. Have to sick Marble on it!

Do you mean Ty the detail guy on here? Marble is the DJ
MetaEnder
03-20-2010, 11:27 PM
Do you mean Ty the detail guy on here? Marble is the DJ

Oh yeah, Ty, haha. Ooops.
JetBlack
03-21-2010, 07:04 AM
My packing tape is even made by 3M. I have seen cars at Auto-X with both painter's tape and stretch film (like what you wrap pallets in). They both look like hell, at the track, but if you hit a cone, no damage.
JetBlack
03-21-2010, 07:07 AM
I hit a bird, on the way to Steptoe, with Lisa, two years ago. A good wax job will help with damage, from sand and whatnot, too. Makes the dust just fall off, when you slam the door. The bird disappeared in a ball of feathers, but when I got to the top, I couldn't even see where it hit the roof.

Driving in the snow, everyone else's car is building snow and ice, except yours, which looks like the snow is afraid to touch it, out of respect. You are driving the Don Car-lione.... kiss the ring.
97lsteg
03-21-2010, 11:54 PM
My brother had one on his ford ranger back in the day. I wouldn't attempt putting one on myself though.
907DC4
04-23-2010, 02:53 PM
hah...i taped my car up with the blue painters tape for the long drive after my detail before Honda Tech last year. held up nicely. cheap easy way to protect your paint for long drives.